With remote work and learning, your home’s floors are almost guaranteed to see more action this fall than last year. Tile floors can naturally withstand heavy foot traffic and still look presentable. However, not properly cleaning the grime from your floors can mar their appearance and set the wrong tone for your happy home. Here are some tips for cleaning ceramic, porcelain, and marble floors and letting your home’s personality shine.
Sweep Up Loose Dirt
Autumn is a busy time of year. Children run in and out of your home as they enjoy the last few warm days of the year while you and your spouse take care of lawn care chores. After an exhausting weekend of activity, you probably haven’t noticed the layer of dust and dirt that settles on your tile floors. Sweeping or vacuuming is the first step to restoring their cleanliness and shine. Ceramic and porcelain tile floors are made to withstand scratches a lot better than marble floors. When sweeping a marble tile floor, use a soft-bristled brush. Sweep or vacuum your tile floors at least once per week.
Choose Your Cleaning Solution
After removing loose dirt from your floors, you’ll want to follow up with mopping them to get rid of ground-in dirt and stains. Choosing the right cleaning solution is key to getting a great outcome. A mild commercial detergent that’s designed for tile floors is a great start. However, it’s not your only option. Making your own cleaning solution from common household ingredients can help you to avoid adding extra chemicals to your living space.
A common do-it-yourself (DIY) tile cleaning solution contains these three simple ingredients.
– Baking soda
– Castille soap
– Warm water
This recipe is good for cleaning ceramic, porcelain, and marble floors. It doesn’t contain acidic substances such as vinegar that can damage marble. If you have access to your tile manufacturer’s cleaning instructions, consult it to find out the type of cleaner that works best for your specific floor tiles.
Damp Mop and Treat Stains
Mopping your tile floors helps to remove grime and allows you to see stains that you would normally ignore. Using a mop that’s damp with your chosen cleaning solution, wipe your floors in overlapping sections to avoid missing spots. Change the cleaning water frequently to avoid slinging dirt back onto your clean tile floor. After mopping, address stains that are caused by coffee, fruit juice, and grease spills with an appropriate stain treatment.
Here are some household items that remove those common stains.
– Hydrogen peroxide
– Club soda
– Hot water
Experts suggest that you damp mop floors every other week. Avoid oversaturating your tile floors when mopping. Over time, excess water can take a toll on your tile’s grout.
Clean and Seal Grout
Dingy grout can spoil the look of otherwise great-looking floors. When grout lines look dirty, it’s time to take a more targeted cleaning approach. Use a commercial cleaner that’s specifically designed to lift ground-in dirt from grout. Just spray the solution onto the grout and let it sit for the proper amount of time. Rinse off the solution. After drying, your grout is ready for a protective sealing product that can help to keep it looking clean and bright for a longer period of time.
Dry Mop
Even a clean tile floor can look less than its best when it’s covered in water spots. The easiest way to keep water spots from ruining the look of your freshly mopped floors is to run a clean, dry cloth over the floor’s surface. Some water spots are caused by hard-water mineral deposits. While acidic substances such as lemon juice and vinegar cut through mineral deposits and limescale, they can damage marble tile floors. To clean mineral deposits from marble floors, you’ll need a commercial cleaner that’s specially formulated for the task.
Conclusion
When you chose tile floors for your kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room, you made a smart decision. These low-maintenance flooring options are durable and beautiful when you keep them sparkling. If you love the look of freshly cleaned tile floors but don’t have time to mop, give Helping Hands Cleaning Services a call. We can help you to set up a cleaning schedule that fits your family’s lifestyle and budget.